Palestine's Industry before Nakba: Metal & Chemical Industries, British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Supplement - Page 67

One of the local dyeing and finishing plants has acquired the patent for Palestine of the Tootal crease-resisting process.

Palestine has virtually become the fashion centre of the Near East. The fashion exhibitions organised by the Foreign Trade Institute have attracted buyers from many countries and the last exhibitions resulted in the placing of orders with Palestine fashion producers amounting to half a million pounds. The necessity to replace markets recently lost in neighbouring countries has resulted in increased exports to countries such as France, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Iran and Turkey. Arab fashion manufacturers recently also organised a show.

THE METAL INDUSTRIES.

(p. 524) (§ 148)

A United Kingdom firm in conjunction with a local concern have set up a factory for the production of tin containers at Petah Tiqva.

The manufacture of machinery reached its peak of production in 1943, when a certain regression set in with the reduction of orders for military and war purposes. Meanwhile, the importation of machinery, at much lower prices, has become possible from abroad, and the industry is, therefore, faced with serious problems of competition.

(p. 525)

(§ 148)

An up-to-elate plant for the manufacture of steel safes and office furniture is being erected by a British engineering concern in association with a local firm. Some £1'. 75 ,000 are to be invested in this venture, and it is estimated that the works will employ some five hundred workers. Another United Kingdom firm joined a local engineering enterprise with a view to manufacturing their patent goods in Palestine. Their products are to include tube boilers, tanks, petrol storage tanks, stills, gas mains, air heaters, condensers, sterilizing vessels and vulcanisers, *

Although the number of enterprises engaged in the manufacture of electrical apparatus and allied products has not risen, the fifty existing workshops have doubled the number of their employees and now employ some six hundred workers.

The CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

(p. 527) (§ 151)

The Taassiya Chemith is shortly transferring its factory to a new site in Haifa Bay. The factory's annual capacity will then be

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